Your Ear can be broadly divided into three sections: the outer, middle and inner ear. The outer ear consists of the ear flap (pinna) and the ear canal. Both of them are designed to channel sound waves to the eardrum which is nothing but a thin membrane stretching across the entrance of the middle ear. It vibrates in response to the frequencies of the incoming sound waves. Then there is the Eustachian tube that connects the middle ear to the back of the nasal cavity (into the throat) and equalizes the air pressure on both sides of the eardrum. It also does the important job of draining fluid and bacteria from the middle ear out to the throat.

The middle ear also consists of three bones: the hammer, the anvil and the stirrup. These bones conduct sound vibrations from the eardrum through the oval window (or vestibule), present in the inner ear, into the fluid-filled cochlea. The inner ear also has sensory cells, the auditory nerve and the special fluid-filled semicircular canals which are responsible for keeping you in balance, i.e. they provide you with the sense of balance. Sensory cells in the cochlea convert the sound waves, which are now in the fluid form, into nerve impulses, which are then transmitted to the brain by the auditory nerve. There are more than 30,000 nerve fibers in the inner ear and the circuitry resembles a telephone system of an average city.

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Earwax (cerumen): Your glands in the outer ear canal produce earwax which usually rolls out of the ear on its own. Sometimes it can be easily removed with a face cloth. At others when it is imbedded in the ear. When you try to remove it with the help of cotton wool buds, bobby pins, pencils, sticks etc. it may get dislodged further into the ear.This then causes pain and interferes with hearing.

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A foreign body lodged in the outer ear.

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A perforated eardrum (microsurgical techniques are used to repair eardrum perforations).

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Otosclerosis: This involves bone growth in the middle ear and requires an operation called stapedectomy.

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A blow to the head

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Degeneration related to the age

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Overexposure to very loud music or noise which includes sudden loud ‘impulse’ noise

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A tumor in the auditory nerve

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Potent anticancer drugs (chemotherapy), certain antibiotics, blood pressure medications and diuretics may also harm the nerves

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Pulsatilla (Pasque Flower) is a naturally gentle and soothing tonic to support ear health. Modern research has investigated this herb for its specific ability to support ear health. 

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Hepar. sulph (6C) is derived from Calcium sulphide. This remedy tends to suit those who often feel chilly and are sensitive to the cold. They tend to feel better on wrapping the ears and head warmly and dislike the wind or a draft.

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Verbascum thapsus (Mullein flower) supports the health of the skin when applied topically and has a long history of traditional use. Recent studies have investigated Mullein for its ability to soothe the ear.

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Levisticum radix (30C) is used to support normal moisture levels and balance in the ear canal.

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Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree Oil) is widely used to soothe and promote healthy skin. This oil is gentle enough for delicate areas of the body, such as the ears, yet still provides support for the auditory canal and inner ear.

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Lavandula officinalis (Lavender) is another well-known herb that has made its home in countries all over the world, including Europe and Africa. Lavender contains the active ingredients tannins, coumarins, flavinoids, triterpenoids and volatile oil. It is best known for its soothing properties and has been researched for its ability to support the immune system and systemic health.

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Belladonna (30C) is an herb whose widespread use was initially purely cosmetic. Sixteenth century Italian women reportedly applied belladonna solutions to their eyes to dilate the pupils and achieve a dreamy and supposedly more desirable appearance (hence the name belladonna, which is Italian for 'beautiful lady')! In our formula, this remedy suits those that have sensitivity to loud noise, often accompanied by throbbing.

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Onion Juice: You may use raw onion juice as ear drops in deafness. Result is totally case dependent.

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Neem Oil: Put 2-3 drops of lukewarm neem oil into your troubles ear. This again is a case dependent remedy, but without any side effects.

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Although nothing can be done to restore ones the nerves get damaged, it is still generally believed that people with raised cholesterol levels (chances of having atherosclerosis increase manifold) or obese or both are much more susceptible to hearing loss. Hence, it is always recommended to keep a low fat diet which is associated with better hearing. So, avoid food high in saturated fats like fried foods, fatty red meats, butter etc. and go for a well balanced healthy nutritional diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables.

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Most of the naturopaths believe that diet can affect the functioning of the ears, hence recommend foods rich in vitamin A and thiamin, that are thought to help repair damaged cell tissue in the ear and also strengthen the auditory nerve. Foods rich in antioxidants and other important chemicals that help boost immune function are important to include in your and your child's daily diet. Such diet would comprise fresh, dark colored fruits and vegetables. Eating plenty of omega-3 fatty acids (a group of essential fatty acids that tend to reduce inflammation) may be important as well. Zinc and vitamin C are supposed to help improve the immune system. Foods rich in xylitol (a sugar alcohol has properties that fight pneumococcus, a bacteria that commonly causes ear and upper respiratory infections) are also recommended, especially in children prone to ear infections.

You should watch your diet, your likings (dislikings too), physical condition, other ailments (if any) and then decide after consulting your doctor as to which foods are the best for you. Sources of these vital minerals and vitamins are:

Vitamin-A:  Vitamin-A is only found in its native form in animal foods such as liver, fish, egg yolk and dairy products like full cream milk. It is found as beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A, in dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, coriander, drumsticks) and orange-yellow fruits such as papaya, mango and pumpkin.

Thiamin (Vitamin-B1): Potatoes, offal, seeds, fortified cereals, pork, fish, sunflower seeds, rice.

Vitamin-C: Citrus fruits, blackcurrant, vegetables (broccoli, potatoes), red capsicums and chillies, strawberry, kiwifruit, rockmelon.

Zinc: Dairy products, seafood (oysters), chicken, beef, eggs.

Omega-3: Seafood; fish such as salmon (especially Atlantic and red, canned in brine), sardines (canned in water), mackerel (canned in brine), mullet, tuna etc., and pecans and trevally. Walnuts are also an extremely good source of omega-3.

Xylitol: Birch, strawberries, and raspberries

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Loud noises, i.e. those above 85-90 decibels, carry an enormous risk of damaging the nerves in the inner ear and reduce hearing. As stated earlier, if the damage to the nerves is extensive enough in order to make them die, hearing loss is permanent. This risk depends on the intensity of noise and the length of time one is exposed to it. The more intense the noise, the shorter the exposure period one can tolerate. Some examples include:

› A gunshot blast at close range (140 decibels) can cause an immediate hearing loss

› Pneumatic drill (100 decibels) will take around 2 hours to impair hearing

› A chain saw (100 decibels) will take an hour

› Rock concerts (up to 120 decibels) can damage hearing permanently

Usually, the losses are small at first but the effect is cumulative and therefore prolonged or frequent exposure can lead to increasing hearing loss.

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Earwax!! Hmm.. it seems everyone uses some sharp object while taking up the task of cleaning one’s ears. It could be a pencil, paper clip, bobby pin, matches and even a cotton-tipped swab (which is supposedly meant for this use only). Well, don’t get fooled and go by the age old diktat that you should not poke your nose using anything smaller than your elbow otherwise all you’ll do is push the earwax further inside and plug your eardrum.